Congress legislator gets conditional bail in sexual harassment case

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 24 : Congress legislator M. Vincent, who was arrested on charges of sexually harassing and stalking a 51-year-old woman in Kerala, obtained conditional bail on Thursday, officials informed.

The Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court granted the bail to the legislator on the condition that he would not enter the ward where the complainant resides and was warned not to try to influence the case in any manner.

Vincent, a first-time legislator, represents the Kovalam assembly constituency. He was arrested on July 22.

After the trial court rejected his bail last month, he approached the Thiruvananthapuram District Court but could not obtain the bail.

This is the first time a legislator in Kerala has been arrested for sexual harassment and the Congress-led Opposition had accused the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), and its leaders of framing him.